Time magazine has named Pope Francis its person of the year, crediting him with shifting the message of the Catholic Church while capturing the "imaginations of millions" who had become disillusioned with the Vatican.

A senior Catholic Church official has denied acting dishonestly by trying to re-classify files on child abuse victims. The former Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Brisbane was quizzed about the church's 'Towards Healing' program at the Royal Commission in Sydney.

Rio's famed Copacabana beach, usually the venue for scantily-clad sun-seekers and revelry, has become a massive Catholic campground as Pope Francis concluded a youth festival by urging young people to go forth and build a new world.